This Marine IBA is identified using tracking data. It falls within the French Southern Territories Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and the Indian Ocean, FAO ocean region. The site covers an area of 65110 km2 and is 1069 km away from the closet coastline. The depth ranges from 0 to 3508 m, with a mean annual wind speed of 2.61 m/s, mean annual sea surface temperature falls between 13.42 and 15.77 °C and mean annual chlorophyll-a concentrations found to range between 0.19 and 0.45 mg/m3.
Key biodiversity
10 species trigger IBA criteria at this Marine IBA. BirdLife analyses of tracking data estimates that 2-48 individuals of Amsterdam Albatross (CR) from Ile Amsterdam are present at the site during the Brood-guard (May-Jun), Incubation (Feb-May), Juvenile (Jan-Aug) and Post-guard (Jun-Jan) life-history stages. 278-321 individuals of Wandering Albatross (VU) from Iles Crozet are present at the site during the Juvenile (Dec-Jun) life-history stage. 223-342 individuals of Sooty Albatross (EN) from are present at the site during the Juvenile (Apr-May) life-history stage. 563-2100 individuals of Sooty Albatross (EN) from Iles Crozet are present at the site during the Non-breeding (Year-Round) life-history stage. 4501-16500 individuals of Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross (EN) from Ile Amsterdam are present at the site during the Brood-guard (Dec), Incubation (Sep-Nov) and Post-guard (Jan-Mar) life-history stages.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Area factsheet: Indian Ocean, Western 17 - Marine. Downloaded from
http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/30443 on 11/06/2023.
